Discuss the phenomenon of digital media convergence in relation
to Advertising and New Media
In a world where consumers are increasingly growing more
fragmented, distracted and disinterested, advertisers have had to adapt to
these changing conditions (Spurgeon, 2008, p. 27). Therefore
continuous and ever changing technology in today’s society has led to the phenomenon
experience on digital media convergence. As Jenkins mention in his
book “Convergence
Culture”, is the “flow of content across multiple media platforms” and it is
identified as the “cooperation between multiple media industries” (Jenkins,
2006, p. 2). These ideas and
process are rapidly progressing and constantly evolving across multiple media
platforms, spreading effortlessly as tools of communication thus forms of
interaction throughout the globe. Remarkably the accessibility to share and generate
information to such extend to the wider audiences has created opportunity for
advertising and new media to grow and bloom across the globe.
Therefore the exploration on the role of branded product and services contents in advertising and other sources of social media will be discussed further with the competing consumer dominion over advertisers, which plays important factor towards the success and sovereignty of the modern advertising in the world upon consumers today.
Firstly as stated by Dwyer, media convergence is the “
process whereby new technologies are accommodated by existing media and
communication industries and cultures. The fact that the term is used to
describe this adaptation, merging together and transitioning process, is an
indication that the ongoing confrontation of old and new technologies is
complex and multilayered” (Dwyer 2010). Therefore in understanding these
terms we are now able to understand and draw relationship between advertising
and media convergence whereby highly accessible source of communication between
consumers has predominantly come from the notion of emerging social network
through mobile phones and across multiple Internet server.
In addition ways in which consumer can share, likes and distribute information has now increases and developed to be ease of used making information and easy communication to be more convenience for the user in the modern world. A notable example in gaining opportunity and accessibility to communicate to the general audience through different social networking is evident in the U.S Government. Their Social Networking provides consumers via nine different platforms over the Internet alone. The Whitehouse now currently communicates to the consumer globally through their official website, Facebook, Google, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes and Vimeo (NSW Government, 2012). As a consequence we can now draw the similarities and difference to understand and predict the revolutionary of advertising and media convergence which whereby as whole has resulted to the ever changing, entertaining and less conspicuous ways for advertisers to reach their modern consumer throughout the world.
Moreover through the existence of media convergence,
consumer dominance plays a significant role on advertising that has emerged. Solemnly
through this belief consumer now or the buyer determines what is practically
sold and advertise in the market, which these notion arise through the
interaction of social media via the Internet. Technological communication via
the Internet through different types of Social Media, across global level; has now
become the driving force behind every popular or well-known product and also
for the business’s success. Within consumer dominance, viral video campaign in
particular, is one of the strategy where advertiser aim typically to create
entertaining advertisement in a funny and humorous way, which is then shared
via social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Most Importantly, the viral
video campaign cuts marketing costs down for advertisers, as they do not rely
on airtime television and particularly Internet space in order to gain the
consumer’s attention and publication. Instead they rather rely on active
consumer to post ratings to gain popularity and inevitable comments to share
simultaneously in order to market their brand and gain recognition.
An example of viral video campaign where advertiser’s
converge the use of Internet into advertisement use is the "New Evian: Roller babies Advertising".
The Ad was first tested on the Internet where it soon
became viral and was then released on to TV nationally. Following
the making of the advertisement this ad was first launch and tested on the
Internet where it soon attracted millions of viewers. The advertisement then
become viral and was then released on to TV nationally. Not
only that this advertisement took the social media world by storm, it
also become well known and popular internationally due the depiction of
different baby faces from different cultural background around the world. Consumer
dominance has once again play a significant role on advertising that has
emerged around the world. Whereby consumer determines what is practically
advertise in the market through the interaction and sharing on social media. The
uses of new media where the collaboration between both the
traditional and contemporary style of media has also being form here in this
advertisement. Whereby the integration between modern styles of media such as
using graphics to create a moving around baby has been incorporated with a
traditional environment setting of a park in order to develop new ideas and in
the same time shape and sustains media we consume before.
In addition the sharing and interaction with the brand
and video brought Evian immediate success at that time, as consumers world-wide
could now make instant recognition of the brand, bringing along cultural associations
with the brand with a fun, playful and environment, which create a strong and positive
feedback advertising and consumer relationship around the world. Furthermore,
Morrison states “Allowing consumers to interact with content allows new
levels of creativity and engagement as people create their own stories where
brands play a role: either as a facilitator or an actual character” (Morrison
2009) in
her discussion of brand engagement. Thus demonstrating further on how the market and power
of global brand has increased throughout decade.
Whereby the merged of advertising of multiple brands
such as Ray –Ban, Virgin Mobile and Plentyoffish.com, has taken place. Which
this advertiser has successfully drawn us into the music video but in the same
time incorporating brands knowledge into our mind without the viewer realizing.
Having to see this, we can tell advertiser are now moving away from traditional
advertising method into a new form of media where convergence of multiple media
are integrated all at once (Jenkins, 2006). The incorporation with
multiple brands and celebrity endorsement of International well known Pop Star
being integrated in a music video has also successfully spark out viewers with
positive outcomes and brand associations where it has specifically has enable
viewer to have the desirability to own the brand products. As a result we can
see that now advertisers are capable in easily influencing consumer with
branded content and brand recognition through music video via social media and
networking sites such as YouTube and Facebook. Through media convergence we can say that advertisers are now capable in facilitating and demonstrating the
effectiveness of high exposure advertising into the mind of consumer without
being caught or realised through the marketing tools of product placement and celebrity endorsement in a music
video.
However product placement in a music videos and
celebrity endorsement for product and services aren’t always necessarily comes
with a positive outcomes and feedback. As in Lady Gaga’s music video the brand
associated and incorporated with music video might not goes so well with the
behaviors performs and depicted in the videos. Therefore it might ruin or
distort viewer underlining values and perspectives towards the brand, which can
influence the business success if not consider thoroughly and properly by
company’s brand marketer.
Overall it is proven that digital media convergence has enable advertising and new media to arise through different types of social media and networking. The collaboration and incorporation between both the traditional and contemporary styles of media advertising such as; marketing strategy of product placement and celebrity endorsement within music and viral videos; has enable both the advertisers to generate and consumer to experience multitude of marketing strategies in a way that has never been dreamed before. As a result giving advertiser the power and greater ultimate position most specifically on consumer to dominate within the realm of media in today’s society around the world.
References:
Dwyer, T 2010, Media Convergence, McGraw Hill,
Berkshire, pp. 1-23.
Jenkins, H 2006, Convergence Culture, New York,
New York University Press, pp 1-24.
Spurgeon, c, 2008, Advertising and New Media, Oxon:
Routledge, pp 24-45
Morrison, D & Sheehan, K 2009 ‘Beyond convergence:
Confluence culture and the role of the advertising agency in a changing world’
in First Monday, vol. 14 no. 3, viewed 25 August
2012, http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2239/2121
Evian Babies, 2009, Evian Roller Babies international
version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQcVllWpwGs (Date
accessed 20 August 2012)
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